Midnight Snack
by PrincessBellePrinceAdam
Summary: xSPDx A pregnant Syd discusses baby names with her husband between snacks.


**Midnight Snack**

It was mid–April, a mild evening. Sydney Tate was stretched across her comfortable bed, her head resting against her husband Sky. One hand absently massaged her swollen stomach; the other clutched a book of baby names.

"Macy," she stated. "Macy." She peered at her belly, a slight crease in her brow, and then repeated the name again. "Macy." Idly, the retired pink ranger wished there was some way to see the baby's reaction.

Sky, who had been reading a crime thriller, chuckled. "Trying to see if she has a preference again?" The current SPD commander put his bookmark in and set his novel on the nearby nightstand. "Syd, we've got three months. We'll figure out a name."

She pouted, closing her book as well. She sat straight up, still cradling the bulge that was her daughter. "I know, but remember what Ally did for Chase's room, how she painted one of the walls to look like blocks that spelled out his name? I thought we could do that, too. It would be so cute, and there's enough time til she comes to fix it up."

Syd snuggled up to her husband, resting her head in the hollow of his shoulder. "I already ordered lavender paint to contrast with the pink," she added.

'_Of course you did.'_ Sky gave his wife a smile before repositioning himself to kiss her. "We'll work on it. It's getting late, and I know how important it is for the baby that you be well rested. Good night."

"Night," Syd chirped sweetly. Both former rangers got up from their shared bed. Syd turned down the navy comforter and the matching sheets before sliding into bed. Sky turned off the lights and a moment later the mattress groaned softly under his added weight.

They took their normal cuddling positions, with Syd's blond curls tumbling across Sky's chest and his arms circling her. Syd yawned as she closed her eyes, ready for sleep.

Sky had almost completely drifted off when he felt a slight shaking. He opened his eyes, blinking, his vision blurry with sleep.

"I'm sorry to wake you," Syd began quietly, "But do we have any pudding?"

The former ranger bit back a groan. He knew what was coming. "Chocolate or vanilla? I think there's some of each in the pantry. I'll make it for you."

But, much to Sky's displeasure, Syd shook her golden head. "I want a pudding _cup_," she said as if it were the most obvious call in the world. "Chocolate, but from one of those plastic containers."

He would have loved to have grumbled a sarcastic, "Of course," but he did not. He loved his wife, and he loved that they were having a baby together. Who was he to deny Syd a chocolate pudding cup, if that was what she really wanted? "I'll go to the store."

Sydney gave him an adoring smile, stretching. "I'll just wait up til you get back." She reached for the TV remote resting on her nightstand and settled in. "Thank you, Sky."

The SPD commander kissed the top of his wife's golden curls. "Be right back," he promised as he slipped out of bed. Sky crossed their bedroom to the closet, disappearing inside. He emerged a moment later with a jacket on over the ancient blue cotton SPD T-shirt he had worn to bed, a pair of tennis shoes in his hand. Sky perched on his side of the bed as he pulled on clean socks, followed by his shoes.

"I'll be back in ten minutes," Sky promised again as he exited their bedroom.

0o0o0o0

When the former blue ranger returned home with his purchase, he quietly slipped into the kitchen. He snapped off one of the pudding cups and placed the rest in the fridge. After grabbing a spoon from the silverware drawer, Sky started up the stairs to the second floor.

Syd's heart shaped face lit up as she heard Sky enter their bedroom. The TV was quietly showing a sitcom rerun in the background, and she had propped open the name book again. "Thank you, baby," she crooned, reaching towards her snack.

With a greedy look in her blue eyes, she tore off the lid and plunged the spoon inside.

Sky waited as she ate, an amused expression on his face. He knew a lot of strange things happened to a woman's body while she was pregnant, but none were as odd as the cravings Syd had had. Chocolate pudding seemed almost normal.

Sydney wolfed down her pudding in record time and handed Sky the empty container and spoon. Dutifully, Sky collected the two items and delivered them downstairs.

0o0o0o0

The next night, Syd woke up husband out of a dead sleep. She sounded so anxious that at first, Sky panicked and thought the baby was coming early. He sat bolt upright, reaching for Syd. "It's OK, I'll call the hospital and–"

Syd gave that cute giggle of hers. "The baby and I are fine. I'm just really thirsty. Can you bring me some orange juice?"

Sky yawned in response and unfolded himself from the bed. He trooped down the stairs to the ground floor, turning on lights as he made his way into the kitchen.

The commander yawned again as he pulled open the refrigerator door and reached for the carton of orange juice. Sky then stood at the counter opposite of the fridge and opened the cabinet positioned above it.

Sky filled a glass with orange juice for Syd and shuffled back to his bedroom. "Here," he murmured sleepily as he gave Syd her beverage.

She beamed as she accepted the juice from her husband. "Thanks," she cooed lovingly before downing half of it in one gulp. "You're the best." Syd swallowed the rest of the juice and set the empty glass on her bedside table.

A tired Sky slipped back into bed, closing his eyes the second his head hit the pillow. Sydney, however, seemed determined to not let her husband get any rest, because she started to gently shake his shoulder again.

"Sky. Sky, don't go to sleep. Let's talk baby names some more. I was thinking, what if we named her 'Rose?'"

He fought to keep from rolling his eyes. "Syd, that's Jamie's mother's name."

"I know," the little blond chirped, cradling her bump. "We love Aunt Rose, why shouldn't we name our daughter after her?" Syd looked down at her tummy. "Baby, do you want to be called after your Auntie Rose?"

Sky let out a very quiet groan as he sat up once more and drew Syd into his arms. "It's a nice name," he began gently, "But what if any of Rose's kids want to name _their_ daughter after her? Let's pick something else, OK?" He stroked her golden curls.

The pink ranger pouted slightly. "Why can't I come up with a name? It shouldn't be this difficult."

"We have time, Syd. We'll find a name, and when we do, it'll be the right one."

0o0o0o0

For the third night in a row, Sydney Tate woke her husband. "Oh, Sky," she sang in her little girl's voice, "Wake up. Come on."

'_I love Syd; I love the baby,'_ Sky reminded himself as he rubbed his eyes and slowly sat up. "Yes, sweetheart? What can I get for you? Waffles, a steak, some cookies, perhaps?" Much as he wanted to make Syd's life as easy as possible, the SPD commander couldn't help but be just a bit sarcastic.

Syd's face fell. "I'm sorry, Sky," she murmured. "I just thought you might like to hear what I have to say. You can go back to sleep, if you like." The retired pink ranger had a sad look in her clear blue eyes, and Sky felt guilty instantly.

"Hey, that's not what I meant. I thought you wanted me to bring you something else." Sky stretched and yawned before leaning back against the headboard of the bed, holding out his arms for his wife. She was her normal smiling self as she snuggled close.

The petite pink ranger looked awfully pleased with herself. "I figured out a name."

Sky looked a bit surprised; Syd had been struggling with names for ages. "Really? You aren't going to change your mind about this one?"

"Nope. So, do you want to hear it?"

"Sure."

Cradling the bump that was her daughter, Syd straightened up and looked at Sky. "Kristin." Then she smiled that dazzling smile. "She likes it. She kicked."

Her husband placed his hand on the baby, wanting to test the theory. "Kristin." Sure enough, there was a little tremor under his palm as he said her name. He smiled as well. "I like it, too."

Syd moved from Sky ever so slightly. The smile vanished from Sky's face, a tiny frown in its place. "Something wrong?"

"No…but will you please bring me some Doritos?"


End file.
